Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-11-16
A TURKS PLEASURES.
The Fayorite Amusement of an ORR
entail People.

The traits or a people may often be
judged as correctly from their pleasures
and recreations, as from their history
and serious conduct. In the freedom
OF the idle, pleasure-seekIng hours, a
people Will betray whether they are
imaginative or matter-of-fact, whether
they are gentle or rough, whether they
are sober or buoyant of spirit.
1t is usual to find that people who
dwell in rugged, inhospitable lands, in
regions of storm and gloomy skies pre-
fer amusements which are hardy and
active; while those who dwell in softer,
SUMMER climes, enjoy themselves in
milder recreations.
The old French chronicler, Frois-
sart, observed, when in England. that
the English ''took their pleasures very
sadly" The English, and especially
the Scotch, dwelling as they do in a
capricious climate, are noted for the
ruggedness and hardihood OF their
sports. The buoyancy and gayety of
the French character, on the other
hand, are strIkingly reflected IN the
hghtness and sparkle which appear in
all their favorite pastimes.
The recreations of Oriental people
are more interesting, because less ia
mIliar to us than those of the Western
people, and afford quite as reliable a
key to national character.
a recent sojourner in Turkey has
given a very entertaining account of
the ways in which the subjects of the
Sultan beguile their many idle hours.
| The Turks are an indolent people.
The languor of their beautiful climate
renders them prone to take the world
easily, to have frequent holidays, and
to enjoy pleasures which soothe rather
/ than excite.
The principal public recreations OF
the Turks are three. Oneis, to witness
the burlesque acting OF a company OF
men who do not use any stage for their
/ performances, but issue forth from be-
| hind single screen. These players go
about from place to place, erect their
! screen in the open air and give their
/ performances before the motley crowd
/ of the turbaned idlers who gather
around them.
Another favorite amusement is what
/ the writer referred To calls the
Turkish Punch and judy" This
show, however, is given by means of
shadows cast upon a white sheet. The
effect of this is very weird and strik-
ing.
I uc lulIu pubic ItCItdllOu ID tue
gathering in the streets, or on the open
spaces, to listen to the thrilling tales
of the 'meddahs," or professional
story-teIlers. The meddahs take the
place, in Turkey, of lecturers in
America. They relate the most excit-
ing stories, with many emphatic ges-
! tures, contortions OF the face, and mod
ulations OF the voice. They sit in the
mi lie of an attentive circle, and often
rouse their hearers TO a high pitch OF
breathless interest and excitement by
their dramatic powers or narration
The Turkish women are allowed to
witness the bnriesQue acting; but they
are forbidden to De present at the
/ Punch and Judy shows, and at the
storytelling of the meddahs- The
women, moreover, are not permitted
to attend the theatres and opera
houses.
Like all OrIentals, the Turks are
very fond of music and of dancing
But their airs, musical instruments and
dances are entirely different from those
of Western Europe. They partake
very much of the nature of the race as
seen in other ways The Turkish
music to Western ears, sounds soft,
melodious and mOnotonous- The
Turks, on the other hand, regard Euro
pean music as too loud, boisterous and
confused in sound. a choir; or an or
chestra, in Turkey, all sing and play
the air only.
The Turks Ike ceremony, and all
their recreations are pursued in Sc
late quiet. ceremonious way. The
n,usiclass. dancers, story-tellers are
ushered before and away from their
audiences with nourishes and obeis-
ances, and are rewarded with much
solemnity of demeanor.
There are very few recreations IN
Turkey, in which men and women are
allowed to take part IN common.
When both sexes witness the same per-
formance, the women always sit In u
group behind a screen or thick lattice,
50 that they can witness what is going
forward without seeing, or being seen
by the men. But In this case, the
best point from which to view the
performance is accorded to the women.